Check prescriptions to avoid medication errors

On behalf of The Mahoney Law Firm, P.C. posted in Medication Errors on Friday, August 2, 2013.

Because medical providers see a large amount of patients within a short amount of time, the likelihood of prescription medication errors is more common than most Colorado residents might think. In addition, the doctor does not write many prescriptions; instead, they are often called in to pharmacies or entered via computer. Over 98,000 deaths in the United States are associated with medical errors, including medication errors, annually, according to NewsOne New York.

Fortunately, one can avoid mistakes involving prescription medications in several ways. Anyone obtaining a new prescription should ask the medical provider what it the prescription is as well as what its function is. People should also ask whether the new medication could conflict with any other medications they are taking, including any over-the-counter medicines, rather than trust to physician to take that into account while prescribing. In addition, it is recommended that people read their prescriptions carefully and understand them before bringing them to their pharmacist.

People should get into the habit of double-checking their pharmacist too. For instance, they should make sure the correct amount of medication is given and that it is dispensed in the form in which it was prescribed. Patients should also make sure that they receive an information sheet pertaining to the prescribed drug. It is important to ask the pharmacist any questions, and if an error is suspected, it should be brought to the pharmacist's attention immediately.

A personal injury attorney with experience in medical malpractice cases may be able to represent those who believe they may have suffered from a physician's failure to prescribe proper medication, prescription medication errors or the mistakes of a negligent pharmacist. The attorney may examine a practitioner's record or look for a record of complaints against a pharmacy to see if a history of negligence exists as part of building a strong negligence claim.

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